Dear SJRCS Families,

Welcome Back to School!

We are thrilled to welcome our new and returning families back for another exciting school year! Our dedicated teachers and staff have been working diligently to prepare for your return, and we have many wonderful activities and programs planned for the year ahead.

This newsletter is packed with important information for you and your student. Please take the time to carefully read through each section and ensure that all necessary forms and documents are completed and returned to the school promptly.

We look forward to a fantastic year together!

With a grateful heart,

Mrs. Kim Hanner, Principal

Students in Grades 3 - 8 who are designated as walkers or bike riders should live within a two-mile distance of the school. They will require the written permission of a parent or guardian and the school administration to be released with these groups. Please click here to register your child as a walker or bike rider.

Parents are required to follow the times stipulated when dropping off or picking up students. The school is not responsible for the supervision of students before or after the times stated. Students must be picked up at 3:00 PM in the dismissal lots. The school does not provide supervision of students after 3:15 PM outside of aftercare and school-sponsored clubs and athletics. Siblings of students participating in after-school events must be picked up, as no supervision is provided.

The school is not liable for any injuries or accidents which may occur before or after the times stated above. If you are unable to pick up your child on time from school, enrolling in our aftercare program would be a beneficial option. Consecutive instances of tardiness might lead to the application of a late pick-up rate.

Parents who arrive late to pick up their children after 3:15 PM on regular dismissal days and after 12:15 PM on noon dismissal days will be charged a fee of $5 per minute. After 10 minutes, the fee increases to $10 per minute. These fees will be added to their next scheduled FACTS payment. Parents will be asked to sign a late pick-up log, and late fees will be charged to the family’s FACTS account. This charge is considered a financial obligation. Failure to clear this debt will result in report cards, re-registration, yearbooks, and school records being held until payment is received.

If the student participates in a scheduled, supervised activity before or after the hours noted above, specific arrangements must be made for drop-off and pick-up at the designated times. If children are participating in a before-school activity or after-school care, parents must comply with the rules established by the program for drop-off and pick-up.

Please value and respect the school staff, teachers, and administration by being punctual and adhering to the designated drop-off and pick-up times.

We welcome all of our new and returning families to SJRCS. Please be sure to review our drop off and pick up procedures before the first day of school.

Supervision Responsibilities (Before and After the Official School Day)

Students arrive at 7:55 AM and are dismissed at 3:00 PM. SJRCS becomes responsible for supervision at 7:55 AM and those students not enrolled in aftercare until 3:15 PM.

On noon dismissal days, students arrive at 7:55 AM and are dismissed at 12:00 PM. SJRCS is responsible for supervision from 7:55 AM until 12:00 PM.

Parents are required to follow the stipulated times when dropping off or picking up students. The school is not responsible for supervising students before or after the times stated above and is not liable for any injuries or accidents that may occur before or after the times stated above.

If the student is participating in a scheduled, supervised activity before or after the hours noted above, specific arrangements must be made for drop-off and/or pick-up at the designated times. If children are participating in a before-school event or after-school care, parents must comply with the program's rules for drop-off and pick-up.

Between 7:55 AM – 8:15 AM cars will line up in the parking lot based on their oldest child’s grade level

Grades PreK - 3rd:

Enter our campus using the main entrance and queue using the traditional stadium layout in the large SJRCS parking lot.

Please start queueing at the TOP of the parking lot and fill each row before starting a new queue. (See diagram for reference). A staff member will dismiss each row, starting from the TOP of the lot. Each row will follow the traffic flow/directions, proceeding to the primary wing entrance for drop-off. Please follow the staff directions, stopping at the tree line beyond the doors along the primary wing curb to allow students to exit cars safely. Please stay in your vehicle, and our faculty and staff will assist your child/children out of the vehicle on the RIGHT side.

Students in PreK to Grade 1 will enter the Primary wing entrance and proceed to their homeroom.

Students in Grades 2 - 3 will exit their vehicle at the Primary wing entrance and walk along the sidewalk of the admin parking lot to enter the building through the green side door entrance and proceed to their homeroom.

Please have backpacks and other items ready to exit the vehicle. Be prepared to unbuckle your child once the car has stopped prior to faculty and staff approaching the vehicle.

Grades 4-8:

Enter our campus using the main entrance and queue using our traditional stadium layout in the SKD parking lot.

• Please start the first lines at the SKD stop sign to merge into a single lane.

• Form a NEW line when car lines have reached the bend in the road in front of the SKD church.

• Proceed filling in car lane rows until stadium parking is full before starting new lanes.

• A staff member will dismiss each row starting closest to SKD church.

• Please proceed around the circle to the stop sign to allow students to exit cars safely.

• Students will exit the vehicle on the RIGHT side, enter the Main Entrance, and proceed to their homeroom.

• Please have backpacks and other items ready to exit the vehicle.

• Please be patient and don’t cut in car lines during arrival and dismissal routines.

PreK Dismissal Procedures

Half-Day & Noon dismissal begins:

PreK 3 @ 11:40 AM

PreK 4 @ 11:50 AM

Full-Day dismissal begins:

PreK 3 @ 2:40 PM

PreK 4 @ 2:50 PM

Students will be dismissed at the Primary Entrance. Please enter our campus following the white arrows indicated on the diagram and create a single queue using only the main entrance. If you have children in other grade levels, please join those respective queues before or after collecting your PreK student.

Grades K-8 Dismissal Procedures

Noon dismissal is at 12:00 PM, and regular dismissal is 3:00 PM. Enter our campus using the main entrance and queue using our traditional stadium layout. Pick up for Grades 4-8 is in the Saint Katharine Drexel (SKD) church parking lot, and Grades K-3 is in the SJRCS parking lot. Families with students in both K-3 and 4-8 will meet all of their children in the youngest student's parking lot.

In the SKD parking lot, please form a single line closest to SKD Church, with the first car waiting at the stop sign. When the line has reached the bend in the road in front of the church, please form a new line. Before starting new lanes, proceed to fill in car lane rows until stadium parking is full. A staff member will dismiss each row starting at the SKD stop sign near the church.

In the SJRCS parking lot, a staff member will dismiss each row starting at the top of the parking lot.

Please be patient; don’t cut in car lines during arrival and dismissal routines for safety reasons.

Students will only be released to custodial parents, those on the emergency contact list, or approved carpool. Students will not be released to taxi services, Lyft or Uber drivers, or any other private transportation company. Please ensure that your child’s emergency contact list is updated as needed.

Students in Grades 3 - 8 who are designated as walkers or bike riders should live within a two-mile distance of the school. They will require the written permission of a parent or guardian and the school administration to be released with these groups. This form will be sent home at the beginning of the year for all children.

If a child needs to leave for an appointment, please send a note requesting the child’s release from school. Individual students will not be released after 2:20 PM.

You may click on the picture to open calendar view

26 (Mon) Noon Dismissal - First Day of School - Kindergarten thru 8th Grade Only

26 (Mon) PreK Orientation (8:30AM-9:30AM)

27 (Tues) First Day of School; PK3 & PK4

27 (Tues) Full Day of School - Kindergarten thru 8th Grade

27 (Tues) Back to School Night Grades K, 1, 2, 3, & 4 (6 PM)

28 (Wed) First day of School for PK3 who attend M, W, F

28 (Wed) Back to School Night Grades 5, 6, 7, & 8

30 (Fri) H.S.A. Blessing of the Backpacks.

September:

2 (Mon) No School - Labor Day

3 (Tues) First Day of Wildcat Care (Aftercare Program)

6 (Fri) Mass (10:00 AM)

6 (Fri) H.S.A. Movie Night

9 (Mon) Story Time Tots (8:30 AM)

13 (Fri) Spirit Wear Day - Students may wear (approved) SJRCS Spirit Wear with gym or uniform pants

16 (Mon) MapGrowth Testing Begins - Students in Grades 2-8 may wear their gym uniform

19 (Thur) Mass (10:00 AM)

20 (Fri) Noon Dismissal; No Wildcat Care; Grandparents' & Special Friends' Day

If you are visiting the school during the school day, we ask that you park in the Pk-3rd grade parking lot. Please do not park in any of the numbered spots as those are reserved for teachers and staff. We also ask that you not park in the spots on the side of the school reserved for the Parish Offices.

If you are interested in ordering lunch from school, please be sure to create an account with All About Lunch Deli by clicking here. Monday, August 26th is a noon dismissal, so lunch will not be served that day.

With the beginning of the school year upon us, here are a few reminders about the SJRCS uniform policy.

Boys' Hair:

• Must be cut above the eyebrows, ears, and collar
• Must remain its natural color

Girls' Hair:

• Must remain its natural color.
• No dyed hair, "fairy hair," tinsel hair, or any fad hairstyles are permitted.

Makeup:

• No makeup is allowed for students.

Nails:

• Students must have natural nails with no nail polish.

These guidelines help ensure a uniform appearance and maintain the school's standards. Please refer to the Family Handbook for additional details.

Academic Dishonesty

St. John Regional Catholic School strives to promote students of integrity in their academic pursuits. Students commit academic dishonesty in the following ways:

• Directly copying answers or materials from another student or students.

• Directly copying answers or materials from a literary or online source, including generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and asserting it as one’s own work.

• Using information, answers, or materials during a test or quiz session that are not explicitly allowed.

• Acquiring and/or using test materials from the instructor or from a previous student to prepare or take an exam or assessment.

• Improper citation of source material in a research report

• Providing information about the questions and/or answers of an assessment to another student prior to that student taking the assessment.

Academic dishonesty offenses will result in a zero for the assignment and an after-school detention for their first infraction. Further offenses will result in a zero for the assignment, a parent conference, and additional consequences including but not limited to detention, suspension, behavioral contract, and loss of eligibility for extracurricular activities.

Students in Grades PreK through 8th are not permitted to use Generative Artificial Intelligence. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) describes algorithms (such as ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, Midj Journey, etc) that can be used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos.

Students in Grades 4-8 and their parents will sign an Academic Integrity Acknowledgement at the beginning of each school year. Please download the attached Academic Integrity form and discuss it with your child. Both parent and student should sign the form and return it to your child's homeroom teacher by Friday, September 13th.

**Dear SJRCS Community,**

Last year, SJRCS offered girls in grades 3-6 the opportunity to participate in Girls on the Run—a physical activity-based positive youth development (PA-PYD)program. This program is designed to enhance girls’ social, emotional, and physical skills to help them successfully navigate life experiences. Through lessons incorporating running and other physical activities, the curriculum emphasizes developing competence, confidence, connection, character, caring, and contribution in young girls.

Based on the positive feedback we received from students, faculty, and parents, we would like to offer this opportunity again this fall.

Additionally, we would like to introduce a similar program for boys in grades 3-6, Let Me Run. This wellness program inspires boys to be themselves, stay active, and foster a sense of belonging. Using the power of running, the program encourages boys to develop their psychological, emotional, and social health, alongside their physical health.

Both programs are scheduled to begin in October and will run through December, culminating in a 5K running event. The individual clubs will meet twice a week for 1 hour and 15 minutes per session.

To make these opportunities possible, we are seeking parent volunteers to serve as coaches and assistant coaches. By volunteering, you’ll have the chance to engage, inspire, and support the development of SJRCS students. As a token of our appreciation, each volunteer will receive a $300 tuition credit. Please note that all volunteers must be VIRTUS certified.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email athletics@sjrcs.org and indicate which program you are interested in.

Thank you for your continued support of our students!

Google Classroom is an important tool used at SJRCS. Teachers post homework daily and give assignments using Google Classroom. It is important that parents become familiar with Google Classroom to support their students. It is very helpful to use your child’s log in information so that you can see everything your child sees. We encourage parents to view a short video on how Google Classroom works. Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions regarding Google Classroom.

Google Classroom How To

The St. John Regional Catholic School Annual Golf Tournament is always a fun time! Golfers of all skill levels are invited to play. Single players and foursomes are welcome! Please click here to register today!

If your child will be absent, or your child has an appointment and will need to be picked up early from school, please fill out the absentee form by clicking here. In doing so, the front office will be notified and can mark your child's attendance report accurately, as well as, have your child ready for you when you arrive to pick them up for the appointment.

Please note - per AOB regulations, early dismissal ends at 2:20 PM. Parents arriving after that time will be instructed to wait in the parking lot for regular dismissal.

This tip line is offered to expand the means for students, staff, and the community to come forward if they are aware of threats, possible self-harm by a student or other behavior that could adversely impact a particular school community. The tip line is administered through a partnership of the Maryland Center for School Safety and the Maryland Department of Emergency Management.

Report a Tip

8414 Opossumtown Pike Frederick, MD 21702

Phone: 301-662-6722

www.sjrcs.org